Almaty, 4 September 1996 (RFE/RL) -- Foreigners who face discrimination in their home countries can be granted the status of political refugee in Kazakhstan, according to a decree signed by Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Acording to Kazakh reports on the document yesterday, the application must be submitted to the Foreign Ministry, the Interior Ministry and the National Security Service. The Presidential Committee on Citizenship then has three months in which to investigate the application. Nazarbayev then decides if the request for asylum will be granted.